A Full Moon and Shining Stars
by PurpleDemon7266
Summary: Rochelle, a young reaper, is sent to retrieve Grell during the time of Madam Red's death with William T. Spears. Once the assignment is complete, she runs into(literally) a certain being. This meeting will test Rochelle's loyalties as a reaper. Not to mention that she has a secret to hide. Join her as loyalties are tested and love is found. (I'm not good at summaries.)
1. The Meeting

(A/N: Hey there to everyone who clicked on this story. It's my first Black Butler story and I'm very proud of it. I hope you enjoy it.

If you want to see the outfit for my oc you can click this link: rochelles_reaper_outfit/set?id=122112466

Now on to the story!)

* * *

_Why can't he just stay out of trouble for one day? Maybe William wouldn't be so uptight all the time if he could just do his job right the first time._ A certain crimson reaper has managed to get himself into trouble once more, and I was to go and retrieve him along with the help of my colleague, William T. Spears. What Mr. Sutcliff probably doesn't know, considering that he rarely takes his job seriously, is that this is going to be a ton of paperwork for me. Nothing but long painstaking hours of sitting in an office staring at papers all day. Needless to say, he's going to pay.

There was a full moon up above, shining it's light to guide mine and William's path. My purple hair and black coat were swept behind me by the breeze. "So what's the plan, Will?"

"You are to stay on the rooftop while I retrieve reaper Sutcliff. It shouldn't take me long," He instructed. William was the type you'd call a workaholic. He's all business all the time. He wears a black suit and his signature glasses cover his emerald-green eyes. You can't get much more uniformed than that.

I groaned. "I wanted to help this time. I haven't been out in the field in ages."

"You sound like a child. I thought you were more mature than that," William commented with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"I don't really see the point in having a scythe if I'm not going to get the opportunity to use it."

"You will get your chance soon," William assured. He always brushed me off and I'm not sure why. I was one of the best trained reapers in the association, yet I've been reduced to sitting in the office all day and filling out paperwork thanks to the likes of Grell. I longed for a change of scenery and my fighting skills were starting to get a little rusty.

My protests seemed void, so I followed my orders. I may not agree with William all the time, but I do respect him. That and he's my boss.

We finally reached the area where Grell was supposed to be. I had to admit that I was kind of excited to see what kind of mess Grell had gotten himself into. He's always doing something wrong in Will's eyes, and it's usually entertaining.

As we searched for the redheaded idiot, I couldn't help but look up at the stars. It's not often that I get to do so. I picked out my favorite constellation, Cygnus. The only reason I could think of that would hint to it being my favorite would be that it was my mother's favorite too. I had a close bond with her until she died. She had been struck down by what the doctor said was pneumonia when I was around the age of seven. I clutched the swan shaped necklace she gave me just before she died. I always wear it to remind myself of her.

As I stared at the sky above, I felt a hand rest on my shoulder that shocked me out of my thoughts. I jumped and turned around to see William standing behind me. "Dear God, William! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

"We have a job to do. We don't have time to be star-gazing," He said monotone. I swear sometimes that guy annoys me with his constant work ethic, although that is probably the main reason I look up to him so much. He should try to relax a little bit sometime.

We searched every alley, expecting to see Grell goofing off. "I found him, Will!" I shouted. He walked up and joined me at the edge of the roof. We looked into the alley. The only way we were seeing what was happening in the ally was by the light of the moon.

On the ground was a mass of red. _Grell!_ I screamed in my head. He may me totally hopeless, but he's still kind of my friend. _Woah, did I just call Grell Sutcliff my friend? _I shuddered.

Grell was lying on his back and a dark figure was hanging over him. The figure had Grell's specially modified chainsaw raised above his head almost ready to bring it down. The night was filled with Grell's pathetic begging. "Stop it, stop! Don't kill me, Bassy!"

The one Grell called Bassy smiled, revved the engine, and brought the chainsaw down on the crimson reaper. Fortunately, just before the chainsaw made contact, William extended his pruner and blocked its path.

The figure looked up in shock. His wine red eyes immediately caught my attention. Our gazes met for a second, his shocked stare against my serious one. William retracted his weapon and repositioned his glasses on the bridge of his nose with the sharp tip. "William! You came for me!" Grell exclaimed just before William jumped down right on top of his face. By that time, the person with the wine eyes and I broke our gaze.

William pulled out his book and read off all of Grell's offenses. I had heard the speech a thousand times over, so I just tuned him out. It was a long lecture about all the things that Grell had managed to screw up, and the first few times were hilarious. He did everything from failing to reap a scheduled soul to using that specially modified chainsaw of his without authorization.

William finished his lecture and bowed to the man in front of him. "Honestly, I never thought I'd see the day when I had to bow my head to demon scum like you. This is a disgrace to all grim reapers," He sneered. _A demon? Of course. A human could never dream of overpowering a reaper. The question is, why was a demon even fighting a reaper in the first place?_

William rose, gave the demon his card, and started to walk back to where I was standing on the roof, Grell being dragged by the hair. The tall demon threw the card over his shoulder, which gained a small giggle out of me. As soon as it came, I stopped laughing when I saw the demon smile. _That can't be good. _I stared in shock as Grell's chainsaw was thrown at Will's head. "WILLIAM!" I shouted. My voice got caught in the wind and I doubted that William heard me, but apparently my message went through because with a second to spare, William raised two fingers and caught the chainsaw by the blade. He looked over his shoulder at the demon and smirked. I sighed and tried to calm my heart's beat back to normal.

The demon smiled and cocked his head a little. "I assume you want that, yes?"

"Yes, thank you." Those three words were spoken coldly. William then released the chainsaw and I watched it fall on Grell's stomach. _Ouch. That has to hurt. _I winced. William continued walking back towards the building, all the while Grell was moaning.

William jumped back on the roof and nodded his head at me. "Come on. We have to get back to the office. Looks like you have paperwork to do," He said as he dragged Grell back to the dispatch. I growled at the thought of more paperwork that would be on my desk soon. I really hate paperwork.

"Alright. I'll catch up in a minute," I said with a sigh.

"Fine, but I expect you back in a timely manner."

I tilted my head back and gave the starry night sky a last look. I searched for the majestic bird that reminded me of my mother. I had meant the search only for a couple of minutes, but I stayed a bit too long. I suddenly couldn't hear the clacking of Will's shoes against the roof. I sighed, knowing that this was the last time for a while that I would be able to star-gaze like this.

I turned, ready to leave, and ran into something rock solid. I crumpled to the ground, and my purple rimmed glasses fell off. "Ow!" I shouted most unladylike. My head started to spin as I tried to recuperate. I felt around for my spectacles. When I found them, I pushed them back into place on the bridge of my nose.

I looked up to see the demon from earlier, staring down at me with amused eyes. He had a gash running across his chest and his arm had sustained an injury as well. His raven hair shone in the light of the full moon. He wore a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up as well as black trousers and white gloves. His attire suggested that he was a butler. _A demon posing as a butler. You don't see that everyday._

"Well, are you just going to stand there staring at me or are you going to be a gentleman and help me up?" I snapped at him. He may be a demon, but I'm sure he has some manners.

"Of course." He took my hand and helped me right myself once again. "What is a young lady such as yourself doing out here all alone?" He asked as he cocked his head like earlier.

"I don't see how it is any of your concern," I snapped as I dusted myself off, and straightened my black coat. He gave a small laugh and smiled.

"What a nasty temper for such a lovely young lady," He said.

"Oh, drop the smooth guy act. I think you and I both know that I'm not a sweet, innocent little girl," I said as a brought out my scythe to prove my point to him. The purple blade shone as the light of the moon reflected from it. With my weapon in its full glory, I glared at him. He had a shocked look on his face which told me that no one had spoken to him in such a way, but it faded and was replaced with a smirk.

"Quite an impressive weapon you have there. Are you sure you are capable of handling it?" He questioned. This guy is full of annoying, time-wasting questions. I would have thought that if I had a weapon such as this that I'd at least know how to use it.

"How about you find out for yourself," I challenged. I got into a fighting stance and swung straight for his head. Instead of ducking under it, he surprised me by catching it between his gloved hands. "How did you do that?"

"I am simply one _hell_ of a butler," He said with a straight face.

"Did you just come up here to knock my spectacles off and question my capabilities with my own weapon or is there some reason as to why you're here?" I asked. I was just about fed up with him wasting my time. William will surely be cross with me for not returning to the dispatch behind him. He's already in a foul mood because of having to retrieve Sutcliff again.

"You just interested me was all. Your accent is different. French if I'm correct. And I've never met a female reaper before," He stated interested. By this time I had regained my posture and just stared at him.

"So you're trying to tell me that the only reason you're here is because I seemed interesting to you? Do you know how much trouble I could be in for not doing my job? And on top of that, you're a demon. Shinigami and demons have been enemies since the beginning of time. What makes you think that talking to the likes of you will help me stay out of trouble?" I said furiously.

He placed one of his hands over his chest. "You wound me, my lady. I intended nothing of the sort. Can we not carry out a conversation and it not end in getting anyone into trouble?"

"You don't know my boss. He's not exactly a free spirit. One little mistake and you're done for. Although, I'm pretty sure that he won't see talking to the enemy as a 'little mistake'," I shot back coldly. This demon was starting to get on my last nerves. I can only imagine what Will will say when he finds out that I was talking to a demon.

"Oh dear. We wouldn't want that now would we? Then I suppose that this is farewell," The demon said with a smile. He turned and began walking away. Before he got very far, he turn and said," I hope to see you again soon, miss."

"Not likely, Bassy," I stated flatly. He shuddered at the sound of the last word. He turned and shot me a deadly glare, but it soon subsided. Apparently I struck a nerve.

"Please, call me Sebastian. And your name might be?" He asked. I guess it's only polite to answer him.

"Rochelle. Just Rochelle," I said rather quickly. I don't bother telling people my last name. I hate it when people find out who I really am. They suddenly see me as someone to be careful around.

"Well then, Just Rochelle," He said with a slight laugh," Until we meet again," And with that bowed and left, leaving me on the rooftop under the full moon and shining stars.

* * *

How was it? I would love to know what you guys think.

Rochelle: MY SPECTACLES ARE BROKEN!

Author: Oh will you calm down. We'll get them fixed.

Rochelle: *cries*

Author: Oh brother. *facepalm*

Until the next chapter.

Arigato, readers.


	2. The Stray

A/N: Hey there again. So, in this chapter we introduce two characters. One we all know and a mystery character. We also get to see how much Rochelle hates paperwork.

Rochelle: Who doesn't hate paperwork?!  
Author: Stop interrupting!  
Rochelle: NEVER!*runs away*  
Author: What am I going to do with her?

Now, on with the chapter! :D  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji or any events used.

* * *

About an hour later, I returned to the Shinigami Dispatch Association to find William sitting in my office chair. When I entered the room, William turned in the chair to face me. By the look on his face I could tell that he wasn't happy. I stood in the doorway waiting for him to say something. I've learned through my years of working with him that if he yells at you, he'll forgive you after a bit. Just watch out for when he's silent, though; that means that he's pissed.

A few minutes of awkward silence later, William leaned forward to rest his elbows on the desk. He wove his fingers together and placed his chin on top of them. "Where have you been?"

"I got a little sidetracked, but don't worry. It won't happen again," I reassured.

"Just what WERE you doing? I gave you specific instructions to follow behind me, did I or did I not?" He questioned as he rose one of his eyebrows. I always wondered how it was that he was able to do that.

"I was talking to someone. I tried to tell him that I had to go."

"Him? Who?" William asked with a tone. _Well, shit. I messed up now. How am I going to get out of this one?_ I scolded myself in my thoughts. I quickly came up with a response.

"I really don't want to talk about it. And even if I did want to talk about it, I won't," I stated as I crossed my arms over my chest. "At least I'm here now."

He sat in silence for a few more minutes. Then he rose from my chair and walked towards me. He stopped when he was right in front of me. Because of him being taller than me, I had to look up to stare into his emerald-green eyes. "I suppose that's all that matters. I should leave you now. It would seem that because of his blunder tonight, Grell has provided you with quite a bit of work."

"Yes, it would appear so," I responded with a sigh. _More paperwork. Great._ I thought as I mentally rolled my eyes. I really hate paperwork. I'm more of a field agent.

"With that said, I will be taking my leave. I need that paperwork on my desk in the morning," He said as he walked around me. He took the brass doorknob and exited into the hallway.

When he was gone, I leaned my back against the door and sighed. I slowly slid my way down the door to the floor. I put my face into my palms. Suddenly there was a knock on my door. I ran my hands down my face and got to my feet. I stood up straight, straightened my jacket, and opened the door. In the doorway was one of my closet friends. He had orange hair that turns black as it gets further down his neck. He wore the usual, a black suit and tie, and despite the late hour, he wore a huge smile on his face.

"Hey, Ronnie. What's up?" I asked. I was trying really hard to hide my annoyance at all of the paperwork sitting on my desk and the fact that I was exhausted. I dropped the glare I had adopted while thinking about the pile of papers, and instead forced a smile.

"Oh nothing. I got finished with my work early and wanted to know if you wanted to grab a bite to eat," He replied. I could tell that he was nervous about something by the way he had his hands buried in his pockets and he was rocking on his heels.

"Ronald Knox. Are you trying to ask me out?" I inquired with a chuckle. Ronald and I have been friends since the time I arrived at the association. We trained side by side and gave each other tips. We'd been paired together for the final assessment and worked well together. By the end of the assessment, we had finished with exceptionally high scores. Not that I was surprised, but this threw me for a loop.

"I guess I am," Ronald admitted as he rubbed the back of his head. I actually thought it was kind of cute. "What do you say, Rochelle?"

"I'm sorry, Ronnie. I wish I could, but I have a ton of paperwork literally piling up on my desk thanks to Grell," I nodded over at my desk as proof. Ronald leaned over to look passed me. He took one look, sweatdropped, and returned to his normal posture.

"I can see that," he said before sighing. He suddenly got that look on his face that tells you he's thinking. I swear I saw some smoke coming out of his ears as he did so. He perked up which told me that he had an idea. "How about I help you? We can divide the work, get it done quickly, and go out for a well deserved dinner."

I thought about this for a few minutes, taking the time to glance at my desk and then back to Ronald. _Let's see. I can do it all myself and be here until the sun rises. The other option is to let Ronald help me behind William's back and then go out to dinner. Which one sounds like more fun and less work?_ I really didn't even have to think about it.

"Alright, but we can't let William know. He hates it when we ask for help. He thinks that we should do our own work, but of course you already knew that," I decided.

"All right then. I suggest we get to work then. We'll be done in no time," Ronald finalized before walking over to my desk and pulling out a chair. I walked over, pulled out my rolling chair, and started filling out the first document. _This shouldn't be too hard. Right?_

* * *

~~Time Skip brought to you by so much paperwork. Rochelle: Uuuggghhh!~~

* * *

I stretched back in my chair and flexed my fingers. Across the desk, Ronald was doing the same. We had spent an hour and a half doing nothing but paperwork, and I was seeing dots everywhere I looked. Ronald looked over at me and saw that I was blinking every two seconds. "Rochelle, are you okay?"

"Um...yeah. I'm just seeing dots everywhere I look," I said nonchalantly. "Are we still on for dinner?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't we?" He gave me a _duh_ look. I kind of knew that it was a stupid question. I never think before I speak which can get me into trouble at times.

"Just one thing. Do you think I'll have enough time to go home and change. I don't want to be in the same thing all day," I requested. He didn't seem to have a problem with it.

"Sure," he said with a shrug.

"Thanks. I'm going to go on home and change. I'll meet you at the place in thirty minutes." I stated as I began standing up and walked towards the door. Ronald jumped up and grabbed me by the wrist.

"How about I come by and pick you up? I want to take you to my favorite place to eat," he said all lit up. He was really excited about all of this. _I wonder how long he's been planning this? I'll make a note to ask him._

"I guess it'll be alright. I shouldn't be too long," I assured. I already knew exactly what I was going to wear. "Well if were done here, I'm going to head home."

"Alright then. I'll be by in a little bit."

"Okay," I smiled and left the office for the night. Just think. I'll be back here in the morning. I live about two miles away from the dispatch, but I've never had to walk home at night. Usually I get all my work done in time for there to still be enough light to see. _Darn paperwork. _

I turned down an alley that I thought I recognized. The only thing lighting my path was a single, dingy lamp protruding from the wall above a door. The already narrow walk way was made even narrower by the many dumpsters lined up against the wall. Everything was quiet, too quiet. (Rochelle: And that was extremely cheesy. Author: Oh well. :P) I turned around to look for stalkers behind me. Anything could happen on a night like tonight.

I turned and continued to walk towards my house. Before I got much further, I heard a noise come from my left. I put a hand on my scythe and got ready for an attack. _This person is in for a world of hurt. _I thought confidently. _They won't know what hit them. _

I waited a few seconds, still in my fighting position, for someone to make a move. _Why is nothing happening? If someone was going to strike, they would've done so already._ These thoughts flooded my head. I heard the noise again and decided to make the first move and try to gain the upper hand.

The noise was coming from behind a dumpster. Behind it, there was a space wide enough for someone to easily hide in. It was pitch black and it smelled horrible. I could catch the faintest sound of scratching. The person, or rather animal, came into the light; it's eyes were a beautiful red color. _I've seen eyes like those somewhere. _

What I expect to be a person turned out to be a small black kitten. It was small, frail, and barely alive by the looks of it. I picked it up by the scruff of the neck. What most people don't know is that I have a soft spot for animals, cats to be specific. "Aw. Poor little thing." _I can't just leave it here to die. I'll take it home and nurse it back to health. I've always wanted a cat. _

With my decision made, I put away my death scythe and cradled the raven colored kitten in my arms. I stared down at it sleeping peacefully in my arms. _Isn't it precious! _I gushed in my thoughts. I turned and continued walking towards my house to get ready for dinner with Ronald and to take care of my new pet by the light of a full moon and shining stars.

* * *

Author again!

So this is Chapter Two, and can I just say that I love Ronald Knox so much!?

Rochelle: So I'm going on a date and I got a cat? AWESOME!  
Author: Kitty! :3

Well, while she gushes over her cat, I'm going to say good bye until the next chapter.  
Arigato, readers. :D


	3. Home

A/N: Ok, so in this chapter we get to see where Rochelle lives.  
Rochelle: Should I be scared  
Author: Nah. I'll also reveal the name of Rochelle's kitty.  
Rochelle: He's so cute. ^w^  
And now, on with the story.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of its characters or events. I do own Rochelle though.

* * *

_ I've got to hurry! So many things to do and so little time to do it all in. _I thought as I raced through the streets towards my house. _I can't trip. I have precious cargo._ I reminded myself, running through the dark streets of London. The little kitten, that I had adopted as Onyx, was sound asleep in my arms, only waking when I stumbled on a section of uneven sidewalk. London was so peaceful. All the stores were darkened and had closed signs on their doors. The only activity was the carriages and a few stray couples taking an evening walk.

I went over a mental checklist for what seems like the hundredth time. _I have to find a place for Onyx to sleep, feed him, get dressed, and brush through my hair. Seems about right. _I nodded my head in satisfaction. _Okay, now if I could just get home._

I soon began to tire and slowed to a hurried walk. I made my way halfway over one of the many bridges in London and stopped to catch my breath. The water below sparkled with the light of the street lamps, the many stars shining high in the sky, and the full moon. If I didn't have somewhere to be, I would stand here all night and stare up at the sky. _But I can't stand here. I have to get home. I have things to do and people to see. _Thus I continued my journey home. I sighed with relief when I turned down to street that my destination was on.

At long last I picked up the pace and came to a stop in front of the rather dark looking building I call home. It's not much to look at, except the giant sign on the front, but it works. _Finally. _I walked up to the black door, took the bronze doorknob in hand, and entered the dark room. "Hello! Is anyone home?!" I said as I examined the room for signs of life. The room was lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves that looked like they haven't been dusted in years. The jars on said dusty shelves were filled with substances that disturb even I. I shuddered at the mere thought. "Hello!" I shouted again.

"He he he. Well, I didn't think you were coming back," came a creepy laugh in the far corner of the room. I heard a creaking noise coming from the same direction as the laugh. I looked over and saw the usual sight, a coffin door sliding open slowly and the glow of green-yellow eyes. _This doesn't surprise me._

"Good evening, Undertaker. And may I ask, if I didn't come back, where would I go?" I asked making my way to the small kitchen in the back. I heard Undertaker step out of the coffin and replace the lid. Now in the kitchen, I took a little bowl from the cupboard and filled it halfway with milk. By this time Onyx had woken up and starting meowing for me to let him down. _I guess you really were hungry. _I thought feeling him squirm from my grasp.

"I'm not sure where you would go, but I'd assume you would know," Undertaker replied. I bent down, placed Onyx next to the milk filled bowl, and watched as he lapped up his dinner. "Ah. I see we have a new addition to the shop," Undertaker said as he stared down at the drinking kitten.

"I found him on my way home. The poor little guy wouldn't have survived through the night had I not found him. I hope it's all right if I keep him. I've grown quite fond of him," I said. I stood to full height and faced Undertaker.

"Not at all, dear. As long as he doesn't get in the way that is. Can't have him disturbing our guests," he said. _That was easy. _"Speaking of our guests, have a funeral to go to tomorrow, and I could really use your help." Undertaker's guests are the deceased. He doesn't get many guests other than a family giving the consent for Undertaker to do his job. It's a little disturbing for details.

"Alright. I'll go to the funeral to help, but then I have to leave and catch up on my work. William's been working me like a mule as it is. The last thing I need is him breathing down my neck," I told him while walking back into the main parlor area. I twisted my neck to work out the kinks from the long day's work. "Do you mind watching Onyx for me for a little while. I'm going to go to dinner with a colleague of mine."

"Of course not. You go right ahead. I'm sure a little fellow like him won't give me any trouble. Besides, it's the least I could do since you're going to help me tomorrow," Undertaker replied.

"Thank you so much. Now, if you'll excuse me. I need to go ready myself. He'll be here in a few minutes." I said rushing upstairs. My room was on the second floor of Undertaker's funeral parlor. The whole second floor consisted of a bathroom and two bedrooms. Undertaker permitted me to use one of the bedrooms while he sleeps downstairs in a coffin. _Maybe I can use the empty room for Onyx. _I thought.

My room held a full size bed, a vanity, and a wardrobe. It was nothing special, but it was all I had. I walked over to my wardrobe and chose a purple top that bunches to one of my sides at the bottom and a black skirt that's shorter in the front and longer in the back. I closed my door and hurriedly got myself dressed. In the corner of my room sat a pair of simple, black sandals. _These will do quite nicely._

I slipped on the sandals and went to my vanity. I didn't do much to my hair. All I did was run a brush through it and placed a black headband with three little flowers on my head. I had a small, silver clutch that I decided to put my scythe in. _Just in case I should need it. You can never be too careful._ I didn't touch my makeup for fear that I wouldn't have time. The last thing I did was made sure I had my mother's necklace on. It always makes me feel closer to her when I wear it. (Full Out rochelles_date_outfit/set?id=122425841)

I took one last look in the mirror, and made sure I'd done everything that I needed to. When I was sure, I walked to the door and went back downstairs. "Well, well. You sure are fancied up aren't you?" Undertaker said as I looked around for Onyx.

"Please, Undertaker. We're just two friends going to dinner. Is that so wrong?" I said putting a hand on my hip.

"I suppose not." Undertaker sat down on top of a coffin and pulled out a dog biscuit. _I don't see how he eats those. _At that moment, a knock came at the door.

"That must be him. I really do thank you for watching Onyx for me," I said walking out the door. "Not at all, dear. You go right ahead. I'll take care of him." Undertaker pulled out another biscuit and began munching on it. I smiled and closed the door.

Ronald was standing outside in his suit in tie waiting on me. I turned and smiled at him. "Ready to go?" He asked.

"I'm ready when you are," I said.

"Well then let's go. I can't wait to show you where we're eating tonight," He said with a grin. He pulled my arm and starting running through the sleepy streets of London. _I sure am glad I decided to were sandals and not heels. _I thought thankful of my last minute decisions.

"Ronald? How... did you find a restaurant... open at this hour? All of London... is closed except for... the taverns," I said through deep breaths. My lungs started to burn, but I saw that he was excited. I just decided not to mention it.  
He looked behind at me, still running. "Who said anything about a restaurant?" He asked. He was being strangely vague causing my curiosity began to peak. _This should be interesting._

* * *

Author again: Next chapter, we will find out where Ronald is taking Rochelle.  
Rochelle: Again, should I be worried.  
Author: Not unless you want to be. You'll be fine.  
Rochelle: Eeehhhh...

Until the next chapter my lovely readers. And sorry for the long wait. (Darn procrastination. *shakes fist angrily*

Arigato,  
PurpleDemon


	4. Almost

A/N: Hello again, everyone. This chapter is a bit longer, but it didn't take very long to write surprisingly.  
Rochelle: Are we there yet?  
Author: Shush. I'm talking to the readers.  
Rochelle: But it hurts. *whining*  
Author: She'll be fine. Now, ON WITH THE STORY! ^w^

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji or any of its characters.

* * *

_Are we almost there? My arm hurts._ I thought as I was dragged through the streets of London by Ronald. Ronald still won't tell me where we're going, so I guess I just have to be patient. And I'm not a patient person. "Ronnie, are we almost there?"

We stopped at a street corner that I didn't recognize._ Where are we?_ I looked around, but didn't recognize anything. _So help me if he got us lost..._ My thoughts were silenced when he turned to me and smiled. "I'm guessing that we're here." I said.

"You guess correctly, but I need you to do something." He grinned. _Oh lord. What have I gotten myself into?_ "I need you to close your eyes."  
I looked at him like he was crazy. He's my friend and all, but I don't trust anyone who tells me to close my eyes. I think he caught onto the look I gave him because he held his hands up in defense. "Just trust me, Rochelle. Have I ever steered you wrong?" He asked, obviously keeping his guard up. I thought about his question.

"Well, there was this one time..." I started to say. He cut me off and took me by my shoulders. He looked dead at me. To be honest, he was a little close.

"Rochelle. Trust me. Okay?" He looked at me with pleading eyes. I can't ruin his fun. I sighed and nodded my head in defeat. "Good. Now just close your eyes and give me your hand." He said, holding out his hand. I closed my eyes and took his hand like he asked. I could tell that he waved his other hand in front of my face because of the sudden breeze. I smiled. To let him know that they were closed.

Satisfied, he began walking again, but not as fast as before. The whole time I was praying that I wouldn't trip or run into anything. That was my main priority at the moment. It didn't take long before he stopped, took my other hand, and stood right in front of me. "Can I open my eyes yet?" I asked impatiently.

"You can open them now." He stepped aside with a flourish, and I opened my eyes. He was right when he said we weren't going to a restaurant. To me it was much better. In front of me was a river and a grassy bank. A few feet away, the same bridge I'd crossed on my way home stood. Under a willow tree close to the bridge was a red and white checkered picnic blanket and a wooden basket. _Well I definitely wasn't expecting this._ I looked over at Ronald in shock. He just smiled, took my hand, and led me over to the blanket.

"What's all this?" I asked. This definitely was a surprise. "I thought we were just having dinner."

"I know how hard you've been working lately, so I thought that this would be a good way to relieve some of that stress." He said as we reached the blanket. I took a seat on top of it and looked above me. The sky was sprinkled with tiny stars, all twinkling like little diamonds. Ronald took a seat next to me and brought the picnic basket closer to him. He lifted one of the flaps and took out a bottle of white wine.

"How did you find time to do all this?" I asked in disbelief. "It's nothing. I had a bottle of wine for a rainy day and the dish wasn't very hard to make." He pulled out two wine glasses and filled one for himself and one for me. He handed me a glass and put the bottle back in the basket. He raised his glass for a toast. "To the always hard working Rochelle." He declared. We tapped our glasses together and each took a sip.

I emptied my glass and handed it back to Ronald. While he was putting the glasses away, I took the opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of the late night hours. It felt like I was watching a film instead of sitting on the bankside. The crickets were chirping and I could catch the faint sound of the hooves of carriage horses trotting down a cobblestone road. From the way the breeze made the grass sway to and fro to the quiet rushing of the river, it all sent me to a place in time. A place where work didn't matter and everything was fine. If such a place existed, I'd never leave. Sadly, it's all in my fantasies, never to be.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't notice that Ronald had moved in closer beside me. "It's beautiful isn't it?" He whispered.  
"Breathtaking. Like a scene in a painting. The silence is so fragile. Almost as if you say or do anything, it'll all slip away..." I trailed off. I could feel Ronald's stare. I looked over at him, and he looked away.

"I've never heard anyone describe it that way before." He took a deep breath and turned back to me. "Are you hungry?" He asked.  
"Of course."

"Shall we then?" He pulled the basket over to him and got out the dish.

* * *

~~Time Skip brought to you by my hunger. (Rochelle: Let's eat!) *stomach growls*~~

* * *

After we finished eating, we decided to talk and catch up. We don't get to talk often because of our work, so it's nice to just chat.

"Has William been working you hard?" I asked.

"Not really. It's just been paperwork and going out on the occasional mission with Grell-sempai. Nothing big." Ronald shrugged. "What about you?"

"I feel like William is trying to keep me in the office constantly. Tonight when I went to bring Sutcliff back was the most action I've had in a couple of months. I didn't even get to use my scythe. The rest of the time it's been file folder after file folder of nothing but paperwork. You saw the giant stack he left me tonight. It drives me nuts, but I know he doesn't care. I just wish he'd let me show all of my potential as a reaper," I ended my rant. "I'm sorry, but I had to get that out."

"That's alright. This night was meant to release you from all of that pent up stress. You can talk to me," He said knowingly. I'm so glad I have a friend like him. I just need someone I can trust and talk to. My mom was the one I could go to, and makes me happy to know that someone else cares like she did. I clutched the necklace and closed my eyes for a minute to clear my thoughts.  
"That's a really nice necklace." He pointed at my mom's gift.

"Thanks. It was my mom's before she died. It was given to her by her mother. It's all I have to remind me of her now." I could feel myself started to tear up. I'd never told anyone that, but I didn't want to cry in front of Ronald. I'm not afraid to, but I've promised myself that I'd stay strong. I had to stay strong for her, but the pain of losing her is too much for me to bear. Not telling anyone about it has given me a reason not to cry about it, so telling Ronald that I really hard on me.

I could feel a gentle hand being placed on my shoulder. "I'm sorry about your mother." Ronald looked at me with a look that told me that he cared.

"So am I. It's the natural way of life sadly. I guess it was her time to go, but I still miss her a lot." I said still trying to fight back tears. _Pull yourself together, Rochelle._ I coached myself. I got a hold on myself and tried to change the subject. "Do you know what Sutcliff did? William wouldn't tell me before we went out. It's been bugging me."

"I don't have any clue. The office will be buzzing with the gossip tomorrow. I'm sure we'll here about it then," Ronald said. It's true. The office is the place to go if you want information on a co-worker. Sutcliff has been the highlight of the office many times before. I'm willing to bet that this time will be no different.

"I forgot that I have to help Undertaker tomorrow. He asked me to go to a funeral and help with God only knows what. Although I do still have to come in for a couple of hours," I realized. "With a day like that to look forward to, I guess I should be heading home." I started to stand and dust my skirt off when Ronald stood and started packing up.

"Would you like me to walk you home? It's pretty late. All of the crazies are out at this time of night," Ronald asked politely.  
"I think I can manage, but thank you. I'm sure that if I run into anyone, I'll be able to handle it myself." My independence decided to show through. No one would dare mess with me and expect to get away easy. And there's my confidence showing itself. "I should be going. Thank you so much for tonight. It was very thoughtful of you."

"It was my pleasure, Rochelle. Anything for a friend." He kind of choked down the last word. _What is up with him? _I started to get a little nervous when he walked closer. He brought his face towards mine and then I realized what he was trying to do. I wasn't ready for a relationship, let alone with my best friend, so I cleared my throat and told him goodnight before walking away. "Yeah. Goodnight," I heard him say. I heard him do something like kicking at the ground, but didn't turn around to verify.

I rounded the corner and stopped to calm my racing heart. _Did he really just try to kiss me? I thought we were just friends._ I couldn't believe what just happened. I was thinking about it the whole way back to my street. I'm glad I decided to create mental landmarks for the trip back.

A few buildings down from the funeral parlor, there is a tavern and an abandoned building separated by a dark alley. Standing outside of the tavern was a group of noticeably drunk men, all laughing and have a good time. A group of crude and rude gentleman who looked like they'd had a few too many rounds. As I walked by, a whistle interrupted thoughts. I looked and I saw one of the men staring at me like I was a piece of meat. Needless to say, the looks he gave me where unsettling. He turned to his friends and through slurred words managed to say, "Well, well, well. What do we have here. Looks like the pretty, little lady is walkin' all alone. What a shame. How 'bout I take you someone relaxin' where we can enjoy ourselves." That got a few laughs out of his buddies.

"Excuse me gentlemen, but if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be," I said, trying to be polite. I wasn't looking to start a fight for once. I was too tired to mess with these idiots. It was quite obvious that we weren't going to walk away peacefully. The men started to surround me, thinking that I wouldn't try to escape. They walked closer and started backing me into the alley._Dead end, huh. Alright._ One of the men, of whom I'm going to guess is the leader whispered something to the man next to him. All at once, each one started circling me, much as a predator to its prey. They looked at me with hungry eyes, but I was ready to defend myself. My scythe was right at my finger tips.

I guess I wasn't discreet enough with my actions because one of them took my arms and wrenched my clutch from me. He tossed it to another and put both of my arms behind me so I couldn't use them._ Joke's on him._ I thought as I hit him the face with my head. I punched him in the face before someone else felt brave enough to come at me. I tripped him and threw him into a garbage bin before two more ran at me from opposite sides. I ducked before either one could touch me, and they ran right into each other. I was still out numbered unfortunately.

The remaining group members had finally decided to pull put their guns, loaded them and ready to fire should I not comply with their arrangements. "It seems we have a fighter men. I like a woman who fights back. Keeps it interesting for me," The leader slurred._ Now would have been a good time for Ronnie to show up. I don't like to admit it, but I need help. It doesn't even have to be Ronnie. Anyone will do._

"Would you like some assistance, my lady?" I heard a voice above me ask. My saving grace. I couldn't see who it was for lack of lighting in the alley. All I could see was the silhouette of a man standing in front of the moon, the tail of his coat flying in the breeze. The person jumped down from the roof silently and landed right behind the leader of the group. "Allow me to assist you." I couldn't see anything, but the reflection of something silver. _Is that a butter knife?_ I thought. I heard the man slit the throat of the leader and heard the lifeless body fall to the ground with a thud. The last three men started whimpering like scared little puppies. The man with the voice pulled out three more knives with a smirk and threw them straight at the other men. All three knives met there mark.

"My, my. It seems we've made quite a mess here. Are you alright milady?" The person asked.

"Yes, quite. Do I know you?" I couldn't resist the question. I swear I've heard that voice before. He walked closer, so I could see him a little better.

"I do believe we have met. Earlier this very night, on the rooftop. Sebastian Michaelis at your service." He said, bowing. _That's where I know him from. Damn demon. This is not who I had in mind._

"Oh of course. How could I have possibly forgotten. You knocked me down and made my spectacles fall off," My attitude just turned sour. Who does he think he is?

"My apologies for that, milady. If I may ask, what were you doing out this late at night? You're bound to run into plenty of troublesome idiots just as these were." Sebastian asked for some reason. I rolled my eyes. "What? Do I receive no thanks for saving you?"

"If you must know, I live down this street and was simply trying to return to my home. And to answer your other question, you didn't rescue me. You merely helped me finish them off. Is there anything else you'd like to ask me?" I asked annoyed. I stooped down to pick up my clutch from where the man who took it lay dead. I opened it to find that everything contained within it was still in place and intact.

"Of course, milady. One more question. If you wouldn't mind, would you allow me the honor of escorting you back to your home, Lady Rochelle?" He bowed and offered his hand. _He actually bothered to remember my name. How thoughtful._ I thought mockingly.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt, but its not that far really," I tried to protest. "I insist upon it. Better to see you off safely than to know you got yourself into trouble again." He smiled at me and continued to hold out his hand. _What am I? A child? I wouldn't want to be rude. I'm tired enough already._ I sighed in defeat.

"I suppose if you insist, who am I to refuse?" I took his hand and we began walking out of the alley. He and I had nothing to say, so we walked in awkward silence. I could feel his gaze on me every once in a while. _Why is he staring at me like that? Has he never seen a woman before? _I thought in annoyance. Thankfully it didn't take long before we arrived in front of Undertaker's parlor. We stopped in front of the door, and Sebastian looked up to read the sign.

"This is where you live? I never knew Undertaker had another person in residence nor that there was any vacancy for them." Sebastian looked kind of confused on the thought of my not being here all of the time. "How is it that I've never seen you before?"

"I do have my duties as a reaper to carry out, Mr. Michaelis, just as you have your butler duties. I really should kill you for even being near me as it is my job," I stated calmly.

"Then why haven't you. I'm standing right in front of you, and you have your scythe at you fingertips," He said, widening his arms out. I walked to the door and opened it. I stood in the doorway.

"I'm not going to kill you because, Mr. Michaelis, you interest me." With that final sentence, I closed the door on the demon, and went to bed for the night.

* * *

Author again: A 3000+ word chapter. How was it? Leave a comment.  
Rochelle: I can't believe that he tried to kiss me.  
Author: Are you really that surprised?  
Rochelle: *muttering to herself*  
Author: She'll be fine.

Arigato, readers,  
~PurpleDemon


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